Wear-resistant, polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) are utilized in a variety of mechanical applications, including bearing apparatuses. For example, the bearing apparatuses may be thrust-bearing apparatuses or radial bearing apparatuses.
Bearing elements included in such bearing apparatuses may comprise a PDC typically including a superhard polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) layer commonly known as a diamond table. The diamond table is formed and bonded to a substrate using a high-pressure/high-temperature (“HPHT”) process. The PDC bearing element may be brazed into a preformed pocket, socket, or other receptacle formed in a bearing support ring.
Despite the availability of a number of different bearing apparatuses including such PDCs, manufacturers and users of bearing apparatuses continue to seek bearing apparatuses that exhibit improved performance characteristics, lower cost, or both.